Furniture-caster.



No. 667,545. Patented Feb. 5, I90l. S. B. MEDLEY.

FURNITURE EASTER.

(Application filed Mar. 10, 1900.)

(m1 Model.)

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UNITE STAT S STEPHEN B. MEDLEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM J. LARSON, OF SAME PLACE.

FU RN ITU RE-CASTER;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 667,545, dated. February 5, 1901.

Application filed March 10, 1900. Serial No. 8,113. (No model.)

To a. whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, STEPHEN B. MEDLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Furniture-Casters, of which the following is a specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of my improved caster. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan section with the bottom plate or cap which retains the ball in place removed. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the caster-cup, taken in the line 3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow, with all of the parts removed; and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the rollholding cradle removed.

In making my improved furniture-caster I make a cup A, which may be of cast or other material, as may suit the convenience of the maker. This holder is intended to be set or placed in a properly-shaped recess in the leg B of a piece of furniture, as will be readily understood from an examination of Fig. 1. I provide also a circumferential flange a upon the cup, so that it can be attached or fastened to the leg of the furniture to prevent it from falling out of the recess in which it is placed. In making the cup a cradle-recess C is provided in its inner end somewhat in the form of a Greek cross, as shown in Fig. 3, of asize to receive the roll-holding cradle intended to be inserted in it. This cradle D is shown detached in Fig. 4:. It'is preferably cast, although it may be stamped out or made in any desired Way; but whether made by casting or stamping it is intended to have projecting ears or lugs d at what may be termed its four corners, provided with holes at right angles to each other, so that rolls E may be inserted between the appropriate ears or lugs and held by journals or pintles, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4:. This cradle, with its rolls assembled together, as shownin Fig. 4, is now ready to be placed or inserted in the recess arranged in the inner end of the caster-cup of the appropriate size and shape to receive it. I also prefer to put a ball F in the center of the cradle between the rolls, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. I next insert the caster-ball G, which is intended to form the rotatable part of the caster bearing on the floor. I also prefer to provide the castercup with a circumferential groove or recess at its outer edge,f0rming part of a runway, in which may be arranged a set or series of balls H. These balls are held or retained in place by the cap I, which is also preferably provided with a circumferential groove to form part of the runway for the balls H and with a circumferential flange 11, by which it is attached to the flange a of the cup by means of rivets or otherwise, as desired. This cap forms the last piece to be assembled or arranged in place. The entire caster, with all its parts assembled, as above described, is then to be fastened or attached to the leg of a piece of furniture when applied to use by screws J or other desired means.

hat I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a caster, the combination of a castercup having a top plate integral therewith, a recess formed in the under or inner face of the top plate, a roller-holding cradle conforming in shape to the shape of the recess in the top plate and independent of the top plate,

and held against rotation when inserted in the recess and having at each of its four corners a right-angle ear or lug, rollers journaled or mounted in the ears or lugs of the cradle, a caster-ball inserted in the caster-cup below the cradle and bearing against the cradlerollers, and a cap or plate secured to the lower end of the cup, retaining the ball in the cup to have the ball hold the cradle in place and lock the cradle against rotation by the engagement of the cradle with the recess whenthe caster-ball is in place, substantially as described.

2. In a caster, the combination of a castercup provided with a cradle receiving and look ing recess in the inner face of its top plate, a roller-holding cradle inserted in the upper end of the cup and locked and held against rotation by the cradle-recess in the top plate of the cup and provided with ears or lugs, rollers journaled or mounted in the ears or lugs of the cradle, a center bearing-ball placed loosely in the space between the cradle-rollcradle and the center bearing-ball in place,

ers, a caster-ball inserted in the-caster-cnp substantially as described.

below the cradle and heal-in a ainst the face r of the rollers and the face 0? the center bear- SFEPHEN MEDLEY 5 ing-ball, and a cap or plate secured to the Witnesses:

lower end of the cup retaining the caster-ball in the cup to have the caster-ball hold the THOMAS A. BANNING, THOMAS B. MGGREGOR. 

